Carolina Homes Leasing and Management has been in the property management business since 2005. It is currently handling about 50 residential homes located in the North Raleigh area, it's vicinity, Morrisville, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill and Wake Forest areas. We are centrally located to all areas of the Triangle. We are a full service property management company. We handle management of your home turn key. We have team of experienced agents and sub-contractors to handle tenant issues. We follow strict guidelines screening a tenant. We check properties every 6 months and report the results to the landlords. Because of our strict collection procedures, 99% of our tenants pay on time. We provide a monthly report to our landlords to account all the monies we receive in their behalf. We aggressively market our properties and list them in the MLS, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, Raleighrent.com or Durhamrent.com. Because of our location, it is convenient for us to show our listings to prospective tenants and address their issues.

We want to make sure that both our landlords and our tenants are pleased with our service. To generate your referrals through quality service is our goal.

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Property Tips: Maintaining your AC Unit in the Fall

Following a few simple, sensible steps is all it takes to make sure your air conditioning unit is ready for its cold season slumber.

Cooler weather means the AC gets a break – for at least six or seven months. After you turn off your unit for the last time for the hot weather season, make sure you prepare it for its long winter sleep. Proper and regular maintenance of your AC unit prolongs its life and also keeps it functioning as efficiently as possible. Property management experts are already aware that air conditioning repair services can be very costly; by following the simple steps below, you can stow away your AC unit and look forward to a comfortable cooling season a few months down the road.

Simple Maintenance Tips
Be sure to clean the filters of your air conditioning unit before the cold weather sets in. If you have filters that can only be replaced, do so at this time, or discard the old filter and replace it with a new one at the beginning of the next AC season. Leaving a dirty filter in the unit for many months may cause clogging later on, as dirt and grime can cling to the filter over time.

Clean your unit’s condenser coils thoroughly before the cold season. Just like the filters, leaving them dirty and unused over a number of months causes grime and dirt to settle and collect on the coils and fins. This will make your job more difficult later on when you have to clean the coils anyway to get your AC unit ready for the start of the cooling season.
Once you have cleaned the condenser coils, cover up the outdoor unit of your central air conditioning system securely. Regularly clear away any leaves and other small branches or debris that find their way to the top of unit. If you have a window-type AC, cover the exposed part to protect it against the elements and cold weather. If you can scare up the muscle, you can remove your room air conditioner and store it for the winter. If you do this, be sure to cover and secure the space once occupied by your unit.

It is generally good practice to have a professional air conditioning company regularly check your unit to ensure its safety and efficiency.

An air conditioner's filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service. Neglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases.

Air Conditioner Filters

The most important maintenance task that will ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner is to routinely replace or clean its filters. Clogged, dirty filters block normal airflow and reduce a system's efficiency significantly. With normal airflow obstructed, air that bypasses the filter may carry dirt directly into the evaporator coil and impair the coil's heat-absorbing capacity. Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by 5% to 15%.

For central air conditioners, filters are generally located somewhere along the return duct's length. Common filter locations are in walls, ceilings, furnaces, or in the air conditioner itself. Room air conditioners have a filter mounted in the grill that faces into the room.

Some types of filters are reusable; others must be replaced. They are available in a variety of types and efficiencies. Clean or replace your air conditioning system's filter or filters every month or two during the cooling season. Filters may need more frequent attention if the air conditioner is in constant use, is subjected to dusty conditions, or you have fur-bearing pets in the house.

Air Conditioner Coils

The air conditioner's evaporator coil and condenser coil collect dirt over their months and years of service. A clean filter prevents the evaporator coil from soiling quickly. In time, however, the evaporator coil will still collect dirt. This dirt reduces airflow and insulates the coil, reducing its ability to absorb heat. To avoid this problem, check your evaporator coil every year and clean it as necessary.

Outdoor condenser coils can also become very dirty if the outdoor environment is dusty or if there is foliage nearby. You can easily see the condenser coil and notice if dirt is collecting on its fins.

You should minimize dirt and debris near the condenser unit. Your dryer vents, falling leaves, and lawn mower are all potential sources of dirt and debris. Cleaning the area around the coil, removing any debris, and trimming foliage back at least 2 feet (0.6 meters) allow for adequate airflow around the condenser.

Coil Fins

The aluminum fins on evaporator and condenser coils are easily bent and can block airflow through the coil. Air conditioning wholesalers sell a tool called a "fin comb" that will comb these fins back into nearly original condition.

Condensate Drains

Occasionally pass a stiff wire through the unit's drain channels. Clogged drain channels prevent a unit from reducing humidity, and the resulting excess moisture may discolor walls or carpet.

Window Seals for Room Air Conditioners

At the start of each cooling season, inspect the seal between the air conditioner and the window frame to ensure it makes contact with the unit's metal case. Moisture can damage this seal, allowing cool air to escape from your house.

Preparing for Winter

In the winter, either cover your room air conditioner or remove and store it. Covering the outdoor unit of a central air conditioner will protect the unit from winter weather and debris.

Hiring a Professional

When your air conditioner needs more than regular maintenance, hire a professional service technician. A well-trained technician will find and fix problems in your air conditioning system.

The technician should:
•Check for correct amount of refrigerant
•Test for refrigerant leaks using a leak detector
•Capture any refrigerant that must be evacuated from the system, instead of illegally releasing it to the atmosphere
•Check for and seal duct leakage in central systems
•Measure airflow through the evaporator coil
•Verify the correct electric control sequence and make sure that the heating system and cooling system cannot operate simultaneously
•Inspect electric terminals, clean and tighten connections, and apply a non-conductive coating if necessary
•Oil motors and check belts for tightness and wear
•Check the accuracy of the thermostat.